Spraying apparatus for spraying moving plates



July 17, 1951 R. L. GRIFFIN ETAL 2,551,198

SPRAYING APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING MOVING PLATES Original Filed March 25, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 17, 1951 R. 1.. GRIFFIN ET AL SPRAYING APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING MOVING PLATES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 Original Filed March 25, 1944 i II lldulvlllll July 17, 1951 Original Filed March 23, 1944 R. L. GRIFFIN ET AL SPRAYING APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING MOVING PLATES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented July 17, 1951 SPRAYING APPARATUS FOR SPRAYING MOVING PLATES Roger L. Griifin, Marblehead, and Norman Y.

Moore, Danvers, Mass., assignors to A. 0. Law-- rence Leather Company, Peabody, Mass., a corporation of Maine Original application March 23, 1944, Serial No.

1947, Serial No. 747,246

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to spraying apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus adapted and designed for spraying an adhesive upon the boards or plates to which wet, freshly tanned hides or skins are applied preparatory to their being subjected to a drying operation.

The object of the present invention is to provide a spraying apparatus for the above purpose which will be simple in construction, efiicient and economical in operation, and capable of quickly applying an even coating of adhesive or other suitable material to the plate or other support, as it is being fed past the spraying apparatus. To the above ends the present invention consists in the spraying apparatus herein shown and described and more particularly defined in the appended claims. In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the present invention as embodied in an apparatus for applying paste or other adhesive to the opposite faces of plates supported verticallyupon a conveyor. preparatory to the application of the wet skins or hides for stretching and drying, Fig. 1 is a side elevation, more or less diagrammatic in character, and Fig. '2 is a top plan, partly in horizontal section, of the complete system for stretching and drying hides on suspended traveling plates; Figs. 3 and 4 show in side elevation and in top plan view, the mechanism for advancing the suspended plates past the spraying apparatus; Figs. 5 and 6 are side and end elevations, respectively, of the spraying apparatus; and Figs. 7, 8 and 9 show details of portions of such apparatus on an enlarged scale, Fig. 7 being a top plan, Fig. 8 a front elevation of the actuating and control mechanism for the spraying apparatus, and Fig. 9 being an end elevation of Fig. 8 looking toward the right.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the complete system of which the spraying apparatus of the present application forms an essential part, consists of an overhead conveyor track 3| upon which the plates 21 are supported on trolleys 29. The plates are fed or advanced along the section of the conveyor track shown in Fig. 1 by means of the power feed unit indicated at 33, having the grooved plate supporting rolls 13, 15, and TI positively driven from the motor 84 through suitable chain and socket connections, all as more fully set forth in our pending application Serial No. 527,706, filed March 23, 1944, now Patent No. 2,488,907, issued November 22, 1949, of which the present application is a division.

From the feed unit the plates are advanced Divided and this application May 10,

2 successively through the washing unit or station 39, the drying or squeegee unit 4|, the spraying or paste applying unit 43, and finally past the sev: eral skin applying stations opposite plates 41, 49, 5!, and 53 and 55 in Fig. 1. The plates advance in an unbroken series, each plate contacting and imparting movement to the plate immediately in front of it through contact members it! and in turn being advanced by the plate immediately behind and so back to the plate being advanced by the power feed unit with its relatively short range of direct action upon the plate.

From the paste applying stations the plates with skins attached pass to the drier 63, and are slowly advanced side ways therethrough in spaced relation. On leaving the drier the skins are stripped from the plates which are then returned to the feed unit 33.

The feed unit comprises briefly the motor 84 with variable speed pulley 85 with adjusting hand wheel 86 and drive by belt 81 to speedreduction unit 88. The latter is connected by sprocket and chain 89 to shaft 18 mounted in bearings 8i and 82 and carrying the grooved feed roll [3.

Feed rolls IE and 77 are fixed upon shafts 19 and se respectively, which are rotatably mounted at opposite ends of the tilting frame 94 pivoted on shaft 95 carried by lugs 91. Shaft 19 and its feed wheel 15 are driven by sprocket'and chain connections 9| from shaft 78, and drive in turn shaft 80 and feed wheel 11 through sprocket and chain connection 93. Guides 99 direct the plate to feed wheel 13, and bottom edge guides I05 engage the bottom moulding strips I03 on the plates, and guide the latter intov the groove of roll 15.

As the plate engages the first roll 13, the front end of the plate is slightly raised so that its weight is transferred from the trolley to the feed roll to insure sufficient pressure to give positive and uniform feeding movement to the plate. Feed roll 15 similarly raises the plate slightly as the latter engages the roll.

From the feed unit the plates pass through the washing unit 39 with its casing 151 in which are mounted the water spray pipes I38 and rotating brushes I35.

From the washing unit the washed plates pass to the drying unit M with rubber bladed wiper [53 mounted upon vertical shafts Nil. .1'

The paste applying or spraying unit 43 is shown in detail in Figs. 5 and 6, with portions of its actuating and controlling mechanisms illustrated on larger scale in Figs. 7, 8 and 9.

For clearness of illustration, the enclosing walls of this unit are not shown in the detail drawings, but are indicated at 246 in Figs. 1 and 2.

The paste applying mechanism as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 comprises a pair of oscillating spray nozzles 255, spaced apart to permit the passage of the moving plates therebetween, and mounted upon the free ends of the oscillating arms 25? pivoted in brackets 25%) fixed to the vertical posts 265. These nozzles may be of any standard type, such as thenozzle commercially known as the DeVilbiss nozzle, with compressed ir and spray material supplied from suitable sources. The discharge of material, in the present instance, paste, is controlled by the atomizing air, the nozzle being provided with a suitable valve for cutting off the flow of paste when the atomizing air is cut oif and re-establishing such flow when the atomizing air is again supplied to the nozzle.

In the present apparatus the atomizing air is supplied from a suitable source through the air pipe-283 and flexible connection 265 to the piv- .oted arm 25?, rigid pipe connection 26? within theerm 25:7,, .-ind-icated as a brokenline in Fig. 6, and flexible connections from said pipe connection 126?, one 269 to the paste-controlling valve ivithin the nozzle and the other, 21 i, to the nozzle itself :to .atomize the paste.

The'paste :is supplied from some suitable source of supply, where it is held under low air pressure, throughzsupplyipipe flexible connection -2?5 to :pipe connection 2% within the arm 25?, and final flexible connection' l'fi to the nozzle.

The nozzle 255 is provided with a discharge orificefo'f a shape .to give a flattened spray somewhat elliptical in cross-section, as indicated .at 281, Fig. 5. The nozzle unit is pivotally supported rat the end of the :arm 251, and means are .pro- "vided .for oscillating the unit to maintain the major axis of discharge or spray substantially "parallel to the une of the feed, thereby insuring a more even distribution of the paste over the surface of the plate. These means comprise a short arm 2'83 rigidly fixed upon the nozzle unit and connected by the link 235 with arm 28'! of bracket 25 upon the post 261. The pivot of "the link in this bracket is offset from the pivot or arm 25? in bracket 5259 in the same direction and to the same extent as the -outer pivotal connection of the link 265 is to the pivot of the nozzle 283. As a result, as thearm 25? is raised -andllowered in operation, the nozzle is oscillated in the direction and to the extent required to n'i-ain'tain the major of the discharge subchain 289 immediately above the arms 25?, take any slack in this chain and help to overcome the inertia of the sprockets and chain when their direction of movement is being reversed to lower the arms.

order to impart to the vertical end portions of the chain their alternate upward and downward movement to oscillate the arms and nozzles, the block or link 295 is connected to a '-:contrnuous1 driven, horizontally arranged, end- -less chain 3133, passing over the driving pulley 4 365 and idler 387 (see Figs. '7 and 8). A motor 368 through the belt and pulley connection 3 to speed reducing unit 313, and thence through chain and sprocket connection 315, drives the shaft 3!! which carries thedrivi-ng sprocket 305 for horizontal endless chain 303.

As the block 295 travels from left to right in its upper path, see Fig. 8, the top end of the left hand chain 289 is pulled to the right, while the top end of the right hand chain is paid out to the right, with the result that the left hand arm 25? is raised as viewed in Fig. 6, and the right hand arm is lowered. As the block or link 295 passes around sprocket 367 its movement is reversed, and it now travels to the left of Fig. 8 on the lower leg of the chain. The movement of the chain 239 is also reversed and the left hand arm 25? of Fig. 6 is now lowered and the right hand arm raised. As the link passes around the left hand or driving sprocket 305 all these motions areagain'reversed.

It will be noted that these reversals resulting from the passage of the connecting link around one or the other of the sprockets, are effected without shock or jar, the actuating chain and the arms being slowed down gradually, brought to a stop, and then sta-rt'edgradually in the' opposite direction, thus avoiding objectionable noise, excessive wearon the parts, and w'asteof energy.

In order to insure an even distribution or paste over the effective surface of the plates, not-only are the nozzles pivotally mounted in the free end of the supporting arms 251 and means provided for maintaining the major axis of the paste spray sulastantially in the line of feed as above described, but the actuating mechanism for raising and lowering the arms and nozzles is arranged to impart a slight over-throw at the end of each upward and downward stroke or movement. "To avoid needless waste of paste at such times the supply of air and paste is automatically cut oil from the nozzles just before the nozzle reaches position opposite the top or bottom edge of the plate as the case may be, and is about to pass above or below the same. Similarly, the supply of air and paste is again automatically 're-established just as the nozzle at the "beginning of its return stroke again reaches such point.

The supply of compressed air for actuating the nozzle which controls the discharge of paste, and which also supplies the ator'nizing air for spraying the same, is controlled by an air valve 32!, the openings and closings of which are controlled by the cam 3 23 on the earn shaft 32-5, see Figs. 8 and '9, driven through chain and sprocket connection 32"! from shaft 3!! in timed relation with the sprockets 3G5 and =30! and link 295 so that the cam will hold the air valve '32! closed while the link 295 is passing around said sprockms, "and permitting it to remain open at'all other times, the cam making two revolutions for each complete cycle of the link 295.

In "order to prevent the escape {of paste spra'y fi'oin the spraying chamber into the room through the narrow openings 328 provided for the passage of the plates and trolleys, an em haus'ting propeller 'fan 329 is provided, mounted above the chamber proper and Within the end of the exhaust pipe 330 leading to some outside point of discharge. The action of the-tan withdrawing air and spray irom the chamber results in a fiow'of ,air into the chamber through the openings in thech'amber wall, thus effectively preventing the :escape of any of the paste spray.

assists in order to insure the proper vertical positioning of the plates as they pass through the spray ing unit, guide rolls 349 ant 35l are provided to engage the protective strip at the top and bottomedges of the plates. The top rolls 349 are carried upon depending studs 353 from fixed supports 355, while the bottom rolls turn upon bearing members 351 on the supports .359.

In the operation of the machine herein shown and above described, the plates 21 suspended on their trolleys are discharged from the tunnel drier 63 with dried skins upon their sides. These are stripped off and the bare plates are propelled by hand to the location indicated at H in Fig. 2. From there they are pushed by an operator into the power feed unit 33 and advanced by the same though the washing unit 39, the drying or squeegee unit 4|, and the paste spraying unit 43.

As the plate progresses through this last mentioned unit, both sides are sprayed simultaneously with past or other adhesive by the spraying nozzles 255 on the vertically reciprocating pivoted arms 251. As these arms 251 oscillate vertically in opposite directions and while the plate is advancing between the nozzles, the paste spray is discharged simultaneously onto both sides or faces of the plate by the action of compressed air controlled by cam actuated valve 32!. To insure complete and even coverage of the plate adjacent its top and bottom margins, the spray arms 25'! are given strokes which carry the nozzles slightly beyond the top and bottom edges of the plates, and during such excess portions of the strokes of the nozzles the spray is cut off by the action of the cam actuated valve which momentarily shuts off the supply of compressed air, thus avoiding loss or waste of adhesive material.

As the spray arms 25! are oscillated,-the nozzles are automatically oscillated on the end" of the spray arm so that the longitudinal axis of the fan shaped sprays will be maintained substantially parallel to the direction of movement of the plate, thus insuring an even application of the adhesive to the entire faces of the plate. The adhesively coated plates pass from the spraying unit through the several stations where the skins are applied by the operators standing upon opposite sides of the path of movement-of the plates. As the plates are moving past these stations, the skins are applied progressively to opposite faces of each plate; at the first station, 41, the shoulders and part of the back are applied as indicated by the shaded portions, and are stretched by operators with slickering tools or blades. At the next station 49 and each succeeding station, additional portions of the skin are applied, until at the final station 55, the remaining portion of the skins is attached to the lower left hand corner of the plate.

As the plates arrive in the position indicated at 59 in Fig. 2, they are pushed by hand into the tunnel drier 63 where they are slowly advanced under power to the opposite end, being subjected to warm drying air circulated across and between plates. When they reach the exit of the drier, the skins are properly dried and ready to be stripped from the plates, which then start again on their cycle of movement.

While in the accompanying drawings and foregoing specification the present invention is shown and described as forming a part of a complete operating unit for drying freshly tanned hides, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to such use or in such connection, 'but may be used for other purposes and in other constructions and arrangements within the scope of the language of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a'spraying apparatus for spraying material upon plates for supporting freshly tanned hides, the combination with a conveyor for supporting the plates vertically and for advancing them to the spraying apparatus, of spraying apparatus for spraying the material simultaneously upon the opposite faces of the plates as they are fed by the conveyor, the spraying apparatus comprising a pair of oscillatory spray arms spaced apart to permit the plates to pass therebetween and mounted at one end to oscillate vertically upon aligned horizontal axes normal to the plane of the plates, a nozzle on the opposite end of each arm, means for supplying material to the nozzles, and mechanism for oscillating the arms in unison in opposite directions, said mechanism comprising a flexible connection having vertical end sections secured one to one spray arm and the other to the'other arm, guide rolls above the arms around which the flexible connection passes, a second. set of guide rolls for supporting the middle portion of the connection, and power driven devices connected to such middle portion for actuating the connection first in one direction and then in the other to oscillate the arms. 2. In a spraying apparatus for spraying material upon plates for supporting freshly tanned hides, the combination with a conveyor for supporting the plates vertically and for advancing them to the spraying apparatus, of spraying apparatus comprising a pair of oscillatory spray arms spaced apart to permit the platesto pass therebetween and mounted at one end to oscillate vertically upon aligned horizontal axes normal to the plane of the plates, a nozzle on the opposite end of each arm, means for supplying material to the nozzles, and mechanism for oscillating the arms in unison in opposite directions, said mechanism comprising a flexible connection with one end attached to one spray arm and the other end to the other spray arm, guide rolls above the arms for supporting the flexible connection intermediate its ends, an endless chain comprising parallel sections mounted adjacent said flexible connection intermediate the guide rolls and substantially parallel thereto, a pivotal connection between the chain and said flexible connection, and means for driving the chain and pivotal connection continuously in a closed path to move the flexible connection first in one direction and then in the opposite direction to oscillate the arms.

3. In a system for applying a fluid material to the surface of a series of moving plates vertically supported on a conveyor, spraying apparatus comprising a spray arm pivotally mounted at one end on a horizontal axis to swing in a plane parallel to the path of travel of said plates, a spray nozzle mounted on the outer free end portion of said arm and. so positioned as to direct fluid material at an angle on the near face of a plate moving along said path of travel, actuating means for oscillating said spray arm through a predetermined angle, and supply means connected with said nozzle and including a shut-01f valve having an operating member disposed in operative relation to said actuating means so that the latter is effective to close said end on a horizontal axis to swing in a planepar-l allel to the path of travel of said plates, a spray nozzle pivotally mounted on the outer free end portion of said spray arm and having a tip so positioned as to direct a generally fan-shaped spray of fluid material at an angle on the near face of a plate moving along said path of travel, actuating means for oscillating said spray arm through a predetermined angle, means for suppl ing fluid material to said nozzle, an adjusting arm connected with said nozzle for rotating itso as to vary the angle of application of said fanshaped spray, and link means interconnecting said adjusting arm and a relatively fixed part of the appartus so that the angle of application of said fan-shaped spray remains substantially constant relative to said path of travel as said spray arm oscillates.

5. In a system for applying a fluid material to the surface of'a series of moving plates vertically supported on a conveyor, a spraying apparatus comprising a spray arm pivotallymounted at one end on a horizontal axis to swing in a plane parallel to the path of travel of said plates,1a spray nozzle pivotally -mounted on the outer free end portion of said spray arm and having a tip so positioned as to direct a generally fan-shaped spray of fluid material at an angle on the near face of a plate moving along said path of travel, actuating means for oscillating said spray arm through a predetermined angle, means for supplying fluid material to said nozzle, an adjusting arm connected with said nozzle for rotating it so as to vary the angle of application of said fan-shaped spray, link means inter-connecting said adjusting arm and a relatively fixed part of the apparatus so that the angle of application of said fan-shaped spray remains substantially constant relative to said path of travel as said spray arm oscillates, and supply means connected with said nozzle and including a shut-off valve having an operating member disposed in operative relation to said actuating means so that the latter is efiective to close said valve as said spray arm approaches the end of its oscillatory movement and to open ,said valve as said spray arm commences movement in the opposite direction.

8 6. Ina system for applying fluid mater al simultaneously to oppositesurfaoes of a series of movingplates vertically supported on a conveyor, spraying apparatus comprising .a pair of spray :5 arms pivotal-1y mounted at one end on a horizontal axis on each side of the path of travel of said plates, a spray nozzle mounted on the outer free end portion of each spray arm and positioned so as to direct fluid material at an angle on the to near face of a platemoving along said path of travel, actuating means for simultaneously oscillating said spray arms in opposite directions through a predetermined -angle, supply conduits connected with said nozzles, and a control valve is connected with said supply conduits and having an operating member disposed in operative relation. to said actuating means so that the latter is effective to close said valve as each spray arm approaches the end of its oscillatory movement 29 and to open Said valve as each spray arm commenses movement in the opposite direction.

ROGER L, GRIFFIN. NORMAN Y. MOORE.

2, REFERENCES CITE The following references are of record in th file of this patent:

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